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Lee Ranaldo Shares Cover of John Lennon’s ‘Isolation’
Earlier this year, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo released a collaborative new album with Raul Refree and also launched his own Bandcamp page where he shared a bunch of rarities. Now, the guitarist has unveiled yet another buried gem from his catalog: 1998’s Amarillo Ramp (for Robert Smithson). In conjunction with that release, Ranaldo shared a video for a cover he did of John Lennon’s “Isolation,” which, like the others who have tackled the song in recent weeks, feels fitting. Here’s what Ranaldo had to say about the song: “During this time of enforced global confinement – the ‘planetary pause’, as I’ve been calling it, I’ve been sorting thru some old releases, and came across my version of John Lennon’s‘Isolation’, which was recorded back in 1991 and released on the 1998 album Amarillo R...
James Blake Covers Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” on Corden from Quarantine: Watch
James Blake has been spending his time in quarantine perfecting the art of the cover song. In March, the UK crooner took to Instagram Live to perform countless originals by Radiohead, Billie Eilish, and Frank Ocean. He also tackled the Joni Mitchell track “A Case of You”, which he released on his own Enough Thunder EP from 2011. For his remote appearance on the Late Late Show with James Corden on Tuesday, Blake again dusted off that Mitchell cover. Cozied up to a piano in his own sunlit living space, the Grammy winner delicately, softly sang his way through the 1971 single. Elsewhere in last night’s episode, Blake spoke to Corden about his upcoming projects. He said his newest single, “Too Precious”, would likely end up on his next album, though “the rest of the stuff is quite di...
Joy Division’s Closer to Receive 40th Anniversary Vinyl Reissue
In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Joy Division’s Closer is receiving a fresh vinyl reissue. What’s more, a trio of non-album singles — “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, “Transmission”, and “Atmosphere” — will also be re-released as newly remastered 12-inches. Pressed to clear vinyl and available on streaming services, the reissue of the band’s second and final album is due out on July 17th. The 12-inch singles will drop the same day, marking the first time the three tracks have been repressed since Joy Division’s label, Factory Records, shuttered in 1992. Each will be backed by its original B-side: “Transmission” b/w “Novelty”, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” b/w “These Days”, and “Atmosphere” b/w “She’s Lost Control”. Editors’ Picks All the reissues are available for pre-order as a bundle ...
Almost Famous Cast and Crew Reunite for Origins Podcast
It’s all happening: For its 20th anniversary, the cast and crew of Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous are reuniting for James Andrew Miller’s Origins podcast. Ever the golden god himself, the award-winning author and host got everyone back on the bus. That includes Crowe, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel, Jimmy Fallon, Peter Frampton, Nancy Wilson, and the list goes on. Below, Miller’s dropped a three-minute trailer chock full of quotes to get you pumped. The show begins soon, so subscribe to the series now and go get some BBQ, man. In the past, Miller’s Origins series has offered oral histories on Curb Your Enthusiasm, ESPN, and Sex & the City. He’s also published definitive tomes on Saturday Night Live and CAA.
Henry Jamison Shares the Origins of New Song with Lady Lamb “Orchardist”: Stream
Our new music feature Origins finds artists revealing some of the inspirations behind their latest track. Today, Henry Jamison discusses his collaborative with Lady Lamb, “Orchardist”. Musicians are often inspired by life on the road, whether it’s the fugacious sense of time, the yearning for familiar territory, or the distance from friends. For his own mini “road record,” Vermont folk artists Henry Jamison has taken a novel, two-pronged approach with his new EP, Tourism. Due out May 15th via Color Study, the five-track effort focuses lyrically on the “dissolution of self” that led to Jamison’s recent breakup. The strain was brought on by his life as a touring musician, a common story for those whose home is lined with pavement. But while being on the road can bring certain relationships t...
Quarantine Classic Concerts: The Up in Smoke Tour
What’s the point in doing a classic concert series if you’re not going to include perhaps the most famous hip-hop tour of all time? It’s certainly one of the most iconic — as well as one of the most controversial. We’re talking about the Up in Smoke Tour. The tour brought a who’s who of predominantly West Coast rap stars together in the summer of 2000. Spearheaded by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Eminem, the Up in Smoke Tour hit 44 cities and grossed more than $22 million. But this tour doesn’t stand out, nearly 20 years after its first show near San Diego, because of how much money it made. The Up in Smoke Tour remains relevant because it perfectly captures a particular zeitgeist around Y2K when hip-hop strictly revolved around an element of excess. And yes, it also featured ...
Noel Gallagher Says Daily Cocaine Use in ’90s Gave Him ‘Brutal Panic Attacks’
Noel Gallagher recently opened up about his experiences with cocaine in the 90s and how doing the drug landed him in the hospital. “I did have to check into hospital once,” the Oasis songwriter/guitarist said on Matt Morgan’s Funny How? podcast. “Imagine having the psychosis and having to have to go to hospital [sic]. They don’t understand a word you’re saying because of your accent and you’re like ‘I think I am on my way out’.” He also added that a few “panic attacks also pushed him to stop using. Gallagher talked about getting clean in 1998 following taking a break for a month in Thailand with his then-wife Meg Matthews. And nowadays, Gallagher thinks people who do cocaine are “boring.” “You just know that when the coke comes out the night is going to take a shit turn” he told the Irish ...
Ben Harper Shares New Single ‘Don’t Let Me Disappear’
Veteran singer/songwriter Ben Harper has shared “Don’t Let Me Disappear” along with a video for the song. He released “Uneven Days” last summer, which was his first solo song without Charlie Musselwhite, his mother Ellen Harper, or the Innocent Criminals since 2011. Harper released a video for the song as well, which features two modern dancers intertwining fluid and fragmented movements while he plays acoustic guitar. “‘Don’t Let Me Disappear’ is about the fine line between loneliness, isolation and invisibility, to where you can’t seem to find a way not to be hiding in plain sight,” Harper said of the tune in a statement. Harper recently appeared on Jack Johnson’s Kokua Festival in April, along with Eddie Vedder, Willie Nelson, G. Love and more. Check out Harper’s video for “Don’t L...
Maroon 5’s Adam Levine Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant With ‘Memories’ Performance
Kobe Bryant is gone, but not forgotten. Adam Levine paid his respects to the mercurial L.A. Lakers shooting guard when Maroon 5 delivered a virtual performance of “Memories” on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show. Levine donned Bryant’s old-school No. 8 jersey for the sombre song that remembers those special people who are no longer with us. Bryant, who won five NBA Championship rings and is often in the conversation on the Greatest Of All Time, perished in a helicopter crash in January, along with eight others. He was 41. The athletic scoring machine wore No. 8 until the 2006-07 season, when he switched to No. 24. The Black Mamba returned to our screens in recent weeks for Netflix’s hugely-popular documentary series on the Chicago Bulls’ final title run, “The Last Dance.&#...
Eventbrite Posts Big Losses in First COVID-Impacted Earnings Report, Reveals Three-Tiered Refund Plan
Eventbrite is carrying about $293 million in exposure from advance payouts to the creators on the system, official with the San Francisco-based ticketing company disclosed Monday (May 11) in its Q1 earnings report, sharing new details on plans to refund ticket holders and detailing the impact of the live music shut down on their bottom line. The top line numbers for the quarter were brutal as nearly every public event on its system had to be postponed or canceled, leading to a $146.5 million net loss for the quarter, down 489.66% from the previous quarter, equaling a $1.71 per share loss. The losses included $113.7 million of chargebacks and reserve increases and a $76.5 million increase in reserves “in anticipation of potential future chargebacks and refunds,” according to the compan...
SiriusXM CFO Says Satellite Radio Faces Uncertain Coronavirus Impact
Even if people aren’t commuting in their cars as much while they shelter in their homes during the coronavirus pandemic, satellite radio powerhouse and Pandora owner SiriusXM has yet to take a big hit to its bottom line judging by its recently released first-quarter earnings. But while listening of Pandora and SiriusXM offerings is up for stay-at-home consumers, David Frear, senior executive vp and CFO of SiriusXM, warned Tuesday that his industry faces an uncertain future. “I haven’t talked to anybody who has a good picture of what the recovery will look like,” he told the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference during a session that was webcast. Frear said the COVID-19 crisis has driven new- and used-car sales down sharply, relative to y...
Songwriter Diane Warren Signs With BMG Ahead of ‘Historic’ New Album
BMG has signed Diane Warren. The music company will represent Warren for publishing and recording, and will release a collection of the legendary songwriter’s new works, performed and recorded by a starry lineup of guests, Billboard can confirm. Under the new arrangements, announced this morning, BMG will administer Warren’s entire songwriting publishing catalog (excluding the U.S. and Canada) under her Realsongs umbrella and release the album of new material, at a date yet to be announced. Several other projects are in the planning phase, a rep tells Billboard. “I’m thrilled with my new deal at BMG. I love the BMG team. They have hit the ground running,” Warren says in a statement. “There is so much already happening that I know this year is going to be ...
